Showerhead

ABSTRACT

A showerhead is disclosed in this invention. The showerhead includes a bottom portion, at least one plate, and a top portion. The bottom portion includes a plurality of gas tubes which are integratedly formed on the bottom portion. The gas tubes include at least one first gas tube. The at least one plate includes a first plate. The first plate includes a plurality of first openings, wherein the gas tubes pass through the first openings. The top portion is coupled to the bottom portion for forming at least one inner space.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No.12/757,932, filed on Apr. 9, 2010 and entitled METHOD FOR MAKING ASHOWERHEAD, which claims priority to Taiwan Patent Application No.099102945, filed on Feb. 2, 2010, the entire contents both of which areincorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to semiconductor equipment, andmore particularly to a showerhead.

2. Description of Related Art

Semiconductor manufacturing equipment is commonly used in the productionof semiconductor components. The semiconductor manufacturing equipmenttypically has a reaction chamber. The reaction gases which are requiredby the semiconductor manufacturing process can be provided into thereaction chamber by the showerhead of the reaction chamber. FIG. 1 showsa sectional view of a conventional showerhead 100. The conventionalshowerhead 100 includes a bottom portion 110, a plurality of gas tubes120, a plate 130, and a top portion 140. Moreover, the conventionalshowerhead 100 includes a first space 191 and a second space 192,wherein the fluid which flows into the second space 192 can flow intothe inside of the reaction chamber. On the other hand, the fluid whichflows into the first space 191 will not flow into the inside of thereaction chamber. Therefore, cooling fluid, such as water, can flow intothe first space 191 for cooling the conventional showerhead 100.

FIGS. 2A-2F show the making steps of the conventional showerhead 100shown in FIG. 1. Referring to FIGS. 2A-2C, a bottom portion 110 and aplurality of gas tubes 120 are provided, wherein the bottom portion 110has a plurality of openings. Then, the gas tubes 120 are inserted intothe openings of the bottom portion 110. After that, a soldering process,such as a high temperature soldering process (hard soldering orbrazing), is performed for fixing the gas tubes 120 on the openings ofthe bottom portion 110 and sealing the clearances between the gas tubes120 and the openings. In the real case, the number of the gas tubes 120can be thousands. Therefore, the step of inserting the gas tubes 120into the openings of the bottom portion 110 may cost a long period oftime. The quality of the conventional showerhead 100 is affected by thesealing performance of sealing the clearances between the gas tubes 120and the openings of the bottom portion 110.

Referring to FIGS. 2D-2F, a plate 130 is provided, wherein the plate 130has a plurality of openings. Then, the gas tubes 120 are inserted intothe openings of the plate 130. After that, a soldering process, such asa high temperature soldering process (hard soldering or brazing), isperformed for fixing the gas tubes 120 on the openings of the plate 130and sealing the clearances between the gas tubes 120 and the openings ofthe plate 130. Finally, the top portion 140 is provided and assembled tothe bottom portion 110 so as to finish the making steps of theconventional showerhead 100.

By the needs of the semiconductor process, the conventional showerhead100 disposed within the reaction chamber has to bear high temperatureand corrosion caused by reaction gases, such that the life-time of theconventional showerhead 100 is decreased. For example, high temperature,thermal cycling, and corrosion caused by reaction gases may damage thesoldering portions for sealing the clearances between the gas tubes 120and the openings of the bottom portion 110. The cooling fluid within thefirst space 191 may leak into the inside of the reaction chamber. Thus,the process yields are affected by the cooling fluid.

For the reason that there are some disadvantages of the prior artmentioned above, there exists a need to propose a novel showerhead. Theshowerhead has better ability for bearing high temperature, thermalcycling, and corrosion caused by reaction gases. The showerhead haslonger life-time, and the cooling fluid will not leak into the inside ofthe reaction chamber and affect the process yields.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in order to meet such aneed described above, and it is an object of the present invention toprovide a novel showerhead. The showerhead has better ability forbearing high temperature, thermal cycling, and corrosion caused byreaction gases. The showerhead has longer life-time, and the coolingfluid will not leak into the inside of the reaction chamber and affectthe process yields.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides ashowerhead. The showerhead includes a bottom portion, at least oneplate, and a top portion. The bottom portion includes a plurality of gastubes which are integratedly formed on the bottom portion. The gas tubesinclude at least one first gas tube. The at least one plate includes afirst plate. The first plate includes a plurality of first openings,wherein the gas tubes pass through the first openings. The top portionis coupled to the bottom portion for forming at least one inner space.

According to the showerhead of the present invention, gas tubes areintegratedly formed on the bottom portion. There are no clearancesbetween the gas tubes and the bottom portion, such that the leakagecaused by clearances between the gas tubes and the bottom portion isavoided. Therefore, the showerhead has better ability for bearing hightemperature, thermal cycling, and corrosion caused by reaction gases.Thus, the showerhead has longer life-time, and the cooling fluid willnot leak into the inside of the reaction chamber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of a conventional showerhead;

FIGS. 2A-2F show the making steps of the conventional showerhead shownin FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of the showerhead in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 4A-4E show the making steps of the showerhead shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of the showerhead in accordance withanother embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The detailed description of the present invention will be discussed inthe following embodiments, which are not intended to limit the scope ofthe present invention, and can be adapted for other applications. Whiledrawings are illustrated in detail, it is appreciated that the quantityof the disclosed components may be greater or less than that disclosed,except where expressly restricting the amount of the components.

FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of a showerhead 200 in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention. The showerhead 200 includes abottom portion 210, a plate 230, and a top portion 240. The bottomportion 210 includes a plurality of gas tubes 211 which are integratedlyformed on the bottom portion 210. The plate 230 includes a plurality ofopenings, wherein the gas tubes 211 pass through the openings of theplate 230. The clearances between the gas tubes 211 and the openings ofthe plate 230 are sealed by a soldering process. The top portion 240 isconnected to the bottom portion 210.

Moreover, the showerhead 200 includes a first space 291 and a secondspace 292, wherein the fluid which flows into the second space 292 canflow into the inside of a reaction chamber through the gas tubes 211. Onthe other hand, the fluid which flows into the first space 291 will notflow into the inside of the reaction chamber. Therefore, cooling fluid,such as water, can flow into the first space 291 for cooling theshowerhead 200.

In this embodiment, the gas tubes 211 are integratedly formed on thebottom portion 210 by a mechanical process, wherein the mechanicalprocess can include many kinds of processing methods, such as machining,electric discharge machining, casting, or any other processing method.Any processing method which is capable of integratedly forming the gastubes 211 on the bottom portion 210 is possible to be used. Differentprocessing methods should be considered based on the real conditions.Although the mechanical process is used in this embodiment, the gastubes can also be integratedly formed on the bottom portion 210 by achemical process or another processing method.

FIGS. 4A-4E show the making steps of the showerhead shown in FIG. 3.Referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B, a bottom portion material 201 is provided.Then, a bottom portion 210 is formed from the bottom portion material201. The bottom portion 210 has a plurality of gas tubes 211, whereinthe gas tubes 211 are integratedly formed on the bottom portion 210. Inthis embodiment, the gas tubes 211 are integratedly formed on the bottomportion 210 by a mechanical process, wherein the mechanical process caninclude many kinds of processing methods, such as machining, electricaldischarge machining, casting, or any other processing method. Anyprocessing method which is capable of integratedly forming the gas tubes211 on the bottom portion 210 is possible to be used. Differentprocessing methods should be considered based on the real conditions.Although the mechanical process is used in this embodiment, the gastubes can also be integratedly formed on the bottom portion 210 by achemical process or another processing method.

Referring to FIGS. 4C-4E, a plate 230 is provided and assembled, whereinthe plate 230 has a plurality of openings, and the gas tubes 211 areinserted into the openings of the plate 230. Then, a soldering process,such as a high temperature soldering process (hard soldering orbrazing), is performed for fixing the plate 230 and sealing theclearances between the gas tubes 211 and the openings of the plate 230.Finally, a top portion 240 is provided and assembled to the bottomportion 210 so as to finish the making steps of the showerhead 200.

FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of a showerhead 300 in accordance withanother embodiment of the present invention. The showerhead 300 includesa bottom portion 310, a first plate 330, a second plate 340, and a topportion 350. Moreover, the showerhead 300 includes a first space 391, asecond space 392, and a third space 393. The fluid which flows into thefirst space 391 will not flow into the inside of a reaction chamber.Therefore, cooling fluid, such as water, can flow into the first space391 for cooling the showerhead 300.

The bottom portion 310 includes at least one first gas tube 311 and atleast one second gas tube 312, wherein the first gas tube 311 and thesecond gas tube 312 are integratedly formed on the bottom portion 310.The first gas tube 311 and the second gas tube 312 have differentlengths. The second gas tube 312 passes through the first opening of thefirst plate 330 and the second opening of the second plate 340. Thus,the second gas tube 312 reaches the third space 393. The fluid whichflows into the third space 393 can flow into the inside of a reactionchamber through the second gas tube 312. The first gas tube 311 passesthrough the first opening of the first plate 330 and reaches the secondspace 392. The fluid which flows into the second space 392 can flow intothe inside of a reaction chamber through the first gas tube 311.

In this embodiment, the showerhead 300 includes a first space 391, asecond space 392, and a third space 393, but is not limited to this.According to the same design concept, by using gas tubes havingdifferent lengths, the showerhead 300 can include a plurality of spacebased on the real needs.

According to the showerhead of the present invention, gas tubes areintegratedly formed on the bottom portion. There are no clearancesbetween the gas tubes and the bottom portion, such that the leakagecaused by clearances between the gas tubes and the bottom portion isavoided. Therefore, the showerhead has better ability for bearing hightemperature, thermal cycling, and corrosion caused by reaction gases.Thus, the showerhead has longer life-time, and the cooling fluid willnot leak into the inside of the reaction chamber.

Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, itwill be appreciated by those skilled in the art that variousmodifications may be made without departing from the scope of thepresent invention, which is intended to be limited solely by theappended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A showerhead, comprising: a bottom portion, saidbottom portion having a plurality of gas tubes, wherein said gas tubesare integratedly formed on said bottom portion, said gas tubes comprisesat least one first gas tube; at least one plate, said plate comprising afirst plate, said first plate having a plurality of first openings,wherein said gas tubes pass through said first openings; and a topportion, wherein said top portion is coupled to the bottom portion forforming at least one inner space; wherein said at least one platefurther comprises a second plate, said second plate has a plurality ofsecond openings, said gas tubes comprises at least one first gas tubeand at least one second gas tube, said first gas tube and said secondgas tube have different lengths, said second gas tube passes throughsaid first opening and said second opening, said first gas tube passesthrough said first opening, said first gas tube does not pass saidsecond opening.
 2. The showerhead according to claim 1, wherein said gastubes are integratedly formed on said bottom portion by a mechanicalprocess.
 3. The showerhead according to claim 1, wherein said gas tubesare integratedly formed on said bottom portion by a chemical process. 4.The showerhead according to claim 1, wherein the clearances between saidgas tubes and said first openings are sealed by a brazing process.